Miguel Terekhov, 83, Ballets Russes Dancer

By JACK ANDERSON

Published: January 13, 2012

Miguel Terekhov, a dancer with the two leading Ballets Russes troupes of the 1940s and '50s and a co-founder, with his wife, of the School of Dance at the University of Oklahoma, one of America's leading university dance programs, died on Jan. 3 at the home of a daughter in Richardson, Tex. He was 83 and lived in Oklahoma City.

The cause was complications of fibrosis of the lungs, said Camille Hardy, associate professor in the School of Dance.

When Mr. Terekhov arrived at the university in 1963 it had only one dance course, a modern-dance class taught in the department of physical education. At his retirement in 1991, the School of Dance offered a wide range of courses in ballet, modern and other dance forms.

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, on Aug. 22, 1928, to Mikhail Terekhov, an immigrant from Ukraine, and Antonia Rodriguez, a Charra?ndian, Mr. Terekhov became enamored of ballet at 7 when an aunt took him to a performance. He soon entered ballet school.

But when he told his parents that he wished to become a professional dancer, his father objected, arguing that a dancer's life was one of constant hardship. He grew so vehement that Mikhail asked how he could possibly know anything about a dancer's life. His father then pulled out old scrapbooks and, for the first time, Mr. Terekhov learned that his father had been a dancer in Ukraine.

Mr. Terekhov danced with Col. W. de Basil's Ballets Russes from 1942 to 1947, and with the rival Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo from 1954 to 1958. Although he performed classical roles, he was best known as a character dancer, winning praise as the imperious Shah in ''Sch?razade,'' the crusty old General in ''Graduation Ball'' and Dr. Copp?us, the eccentric inventor, in ''Copp?a.''

While with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, he met and married Yvonne Chouteau, one of the five ''American Indian ballerinas'' of Oklahoma, the others being Rosella Hightower, Moscelyne Larkin and Maria and Marjorie Tallchief. Ms. Chouteau survives him.

When the couple visited Ms. Chouteau's parents in Oklahoma City in 1961, her father, C. E. Chouteau, a prominent Indian figure in the state, declared that the university should offer ballet as well as modern dance. He persuaded university officials to allow Ms. Chouteau and Mr. Terekhov to teach ballet there, and the University of Oklahoma School of Dance was born.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth A. Impallomeni and Christina Conway, in whose home he died, and two grandsons.

This is a more complete version of the story than the one that appeared in print.

PHOTO: Miguel Terekhov became enamored of ballet at the age of 7. (PHOTOGRAPH BY UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PUBLICATIONS)